38 new properties coming to Selah after annexation

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At a public hearing on Tuesday night the general consensus approved of the annexation of about 50 properties. However, some in attendance questioned if the annexation rules were followed correctly.

At the last public hearing, the Selah City Council heard a lot of negative comments.

City leaders came back willing to please more homeowners.

The new boundary of county land to be annexed includes only 38 residences as opposed to the previously proposed 70.

The land includes all the property north of West Goodlander Road, between Selah Loop Road and Herlou Drive.

Selah officials told KIMA that homeowners originally petitioned the city because they would save 50 percent on water and utility bills.

"I'm 100 percent for it because I started to develop the property in Yakima County and stopped doing it because it was just too difficult and I would rather work with it inside the City of Selah," said one community member.

However, controversy arose when community members pointed out the city didn't follow the steps for annexation as listed on the city's website.

The rules state that before a public hearing is held, the county assessors office must certify the petition is backed by homeowners representing at least 60 percent of the property value.

"So that's why I was questioning did we receive something from the county, they should have reviewed how you determined that 60 percent of the property assessed was interested in annexing," said another community member.

In contradiction to the rules the city posted, officials stated that step would come after the public hearing.

In the end the council approved the annexation. The next step is to be approved by the Yakima County Boundary Review Board.